CN Rail engineers represented by the Teamsters union have given 72 hours notice to the company that they plan to strike Nov. 28.
A strike would disrupt the transportation of grain and other goods.
The engineers have been without a contract since Dec. 31 2008.
After contract discussion broke down Nov. 20, CN on Tuesday unilaterally changed the engineers’ contract, increasing the monthly mileage cap to 4,300 miles from 3,800. The company also increased wages by 1.5 percent.
The company says it needs the change to allow engineers to work more days per month, improve productivity and align engineer and conductor mileage caps.
It says the mileage cap was introduced in the days of steam locomotives when trains covered less distance per day.
Workers say the change raises safety concerns.
When talks broke down last week the union says it suggested new dates for negotiation but CN declined them.
The company now says it wants immediate negotiations to reach a settlement or submit disputed issues to binding arbitration before the strike deadline.
